"So how long is it going to take us to get to Montana?" Summer asked as she, Fig, Salani, and Briley tossed their duffel bags in the back of the military jeep.
"Nineteen hours with good traffic," Briley said with a sigh. "Who wants to drive first?"
"I will," Salani volunteered. "Since Briley and I are the only ones fully awake at this time in the morning anyway." It was true. At five in the morning Fig had slumped in a back seat and was already half out of it and Summer looked rather lost as she slumped in a seat next to Fig. Briley shot a grin at Salani and tossed the keys to him, slipping into the passenger seat. The jeep fired up on the first try, a minor miracle, and they were off.
Two hours later Fig actually came out of his slumber long enough to mumble something about needing to use the restroom. Salani sighed and pulled over at a gas station where they all got out. "I say Fig is driving next," Salani said with a sigh. "It's my turn to sleep." Summer snickered and shook her head.
"I'll drive," she said. "Otherwise I'm going to get motion sick and hurl all over the floor in the back of the jeep. That's not something I'd like to smell until we get to Montana either."
"Fine, fine," Salani agreed quickly while Briley snickered. Summer snatched the keys from his hand and slumped on the cement next to the car looking very pale.
Fig, who was just rejoining them, took one look at her and said, "If you're going to puke stay away from me."
"Gladly," Summer said, her face turning even more pale. Suddenly she dropped the keys and bolted, vanishing into the convenience store moments later. Briley followed her friend without a thought, pausing outside the locked gas station bathroom. She could clearly hear the retching sounds from inside. Shaking her head Briley walked back into the main convenience store and bought a bottle of Sierra Mist before going out to wait by the car.
"Is she actually sick?" Salani asked, Jazz and Ironhide's holoforms now following them. Briley nodded grimly. Summer came out a moment later looking as if she was only a minute or two away from puking again.
"Thanks," she said tiredly when Briley handed her the bottle of Sierra Mist. "Someone else can drive." She slipped into the passenger seat, ignoring the concerned glances shot her way, and the rest piled back in.
Briley drove the next five hours in absolute silence while Summer had her window cracked, blowing icy fall air into the jeep as they moved farther north and fall temperatures began to kick in. Fig and Salani kept silent and Summer's face remained pale and sickly looking even when they moved into the sixth hour. "Can we stop for the night?" Summer said weakly. "I don't mean to complain but if I stay in here much longer I'm going to hurl."
"As soon as we reach the next town," Briley promised, looking at her friend with concern. Summer nodded, her head pressed against the cold glass of the window. "Hey Salani," she called since Fig was asleep again.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Call Jazz or Ironhide and let them know we're stopping for the night in the next town," she ordered.
"But it's only noon now," Salani said, looking confused.
"Summer," Briley explained.
"Oh," the young man said, nodding and pulling out his cell phone. Ironhide wasn't pleased about having to stop this early. Due to that fact Lennox found out much sooner than he normally would have. Salani nearly jumped a foot in the air when his phone unexpectedly went off before they had even reached the next town. "Hello?" he answered tentatively.
"Hello Salani," Lennox said. "Would you mind explaining to me why you're stopping this early?"
"I think I'll let Briley do that," Salani said. "Bri, phone."
Briley held out her hand and took the cell phone, carefully holding it up to her ear with one hand and driving with the other. "Hello?"
"Hello Briley," Lennox said. "Would you mind telling me why you're stopping so early?"
"Because Summer is sick and I have no wish to clean puke out of the jeep which will happen at some point if we keep going," Briley replied calmly. "Therefore we are stopping earlier than planned."
"Ahh," Lennox said, suddenly sounding very tired. "The flu just hit here this morning as well. Maybe you should head back here tomorrow."
"Agreed," Briley said tiredly. "I'm pulling off the highway Lennox. I'll talk to you later." Then she snapped the phone shut and handed it back to Salani. "We're heading back tomorrow," she said as she pulled into some midsized Nevada town.
"Good," Salani said as they pulled up to a hotel. "I'll go in a get us two separate rooms." Briley sighed in relief as the car door shut behind him. They were almost at a place where they could rest. Maybe now something would at least go right today.
Author's Note: So this wasn't my best chapter ever. Thanks to MissShelz (possibly), Riptide2 (don't worry, you'll still get to find out), and a Wiccan (Thanks!) for reviewing the last chapter! I own nothing but my OCs and for those of you interested in the Betrayal of Seneca Prime it is posted under the penname ShadowsAcrossTheMoon
